Roy E. Dean

Roy E. Dean, who died on August 14, 2016, was born September 22, 1931, in St. Peter, Minnesota, the fourth child of Grace Weber Dean and Dr. Roy A. Dean, a veterinarian. His parents, his sister, Mary Grace Dean, and his brothers, John J. Dean and Robert T. Dean, predeceased him. He is survived by his wife of over 50 years, Janice, and by his children Jeffrey C. Dean, Leslie Dean Sheekley (husband John), and Michael John Dean (wife Patti), Gaylyn P. Lang, and his grandchildren, Tara Lang, Kaley Lang, Ryan Sheekley, Taylor Sheekley, Evan Dean, and Lily Dean, for all of whom he had a deep and abiding love. He considered himself blessed beyond description in his wife and family, his parents and siblings, his fellow judges, and in his many friends, partners, associates, and colleagues. Roy attended John Ireland Grade School and St. Peter High School in St. Peter, Minnesota. He was a member of St. Peter's Catholic Church. He played all high school sports, was a member of the National Honor Society, and acted in school plays. He was an Eagle Scout and an Explorer Scout. After graduating from high school in 1949, he attended the University of Minnesota, where he was a member of Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity, a board member of the University Student Union, played intramural sports, and where he acted in several university theater productions. He graduated in 1953 with a fine arts degree in English, following which he enlisted in the United States Army, and, after basic training, he was assigned for a year to the Army Language School in Monterrey, California, to study Russian. He was stationed in Lübeck, Germany with the Army Security Agency, and he was part of a small group of Americans in the British Zone intercepting and translating Russian communications. He was discharged from the army as a sergeant in early 1957, met and married his wife, Jan, and enrolled in the University of Minnesota Law School. After graduation from law school in 1960, he and Jan, with their son, Jeff, moved to Venice, Florida, where Roy began the practice of law with the firm of Braswell & Brown. In the early sixties Roy started his own practice and then merged his practice with John Blair to form the partnership of Blair and Dean. After serving as Venice Municipal Judge, Roy was appointed Sarasota County Judge in 1968. In 1970 he was appointed Circuit Judge for the 12th Judicial Circuit of Sarasota, Manatee, and Desoto counties. He was chief judge of the circuit in 1977. He also served by appointment in various Florida District Courts of Appeal, and he was a graduate of the National Trial College for judges. While living in Venice, Jan and Roy were very active in community activities. Roy was a founder and president of Mission Valley Golf Club, a member of the Venice Yacht Club, Commodore of the Tarpon Center Yacht Club, President of the Venice Kiwanis Club, chairman of the Venice area participation in raising funds to establish New College in Sarasota, Chairman of the Epiphany Catholic Church lay council, a reader at Epiphany church, and President of Cardinal Mooney High School Board. He served on the board of the YMCA, the Gulf Coast Boy Scouts, the Dr. Charles Koch Drug Rehabilitation Center, and the Venice Little League. Among his awards was the 1975 Citizen of the Year Award presented to him by the Fraternal Order of Police in Sarasota. In 1977 Roy resigned his position as circuit judge and joined the law firm of Holland & Knight to open the firm's Sarasota office. He was a member of the Holland & Knight Executive Committee, and the managing partner of the Sarasota office. During his years with Holland & Knight, in addition to his practice in Sarasota, he practiced in Bradenton and Tampa. He retired as a Class A partner of Holland & Knight in the fall of 1994, and continued a full time practice to the time of his death with the firm of Ulrich, Scarlett, Wickman, & Dean, P.A., in Sarasota, completing more than 50 years as an active member of The Florida Bar. He was a member of the Florida Bar Association, The Sarasota County Bar Association, the Hillsborough County Bar Association, and the American Bar Association. Roy served as a member of the board of directors of the Sarasota Chamber of Commerce, member of the Board of Directors of The Children's Home, Inc. of Tampa, Florida, member and president of the John M. Scheb Inns of Court, which presented him with its John M. Scheb Professionalism Award in 2005, a member and director of The Field Club, a member of the University Club, and a member of the Board of Trustees of Plymouth Harbor, Sarasota. Florida, serving as Chairman of the Board for the years 2007 and 2008. His many hobbies included traveling, reading, movies, photography, golf, tennis, most spectator sports, and boating. He and Jan traveled extensively throughout the United States and Europe. Roy enjoyed the law, study, research, languages, history, and writing. He water-skied with his family on his 70th birthday. He shot 78 for a round of golf the month of his 78th birthday. He was a Republican. He served his country and his community. He was an AV rated lawyer—he tried to be a good judge. He loved and enjoyed his wife and family. He will miss life. A private service will be held Friday, August 19, 2016, followed by a celebration of life, which his family invites all to attend at the Field Club of Sarasota from 2 – 4 PM. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Cardinal Mooney High School, 4171-Fruitville Rd., Sarasota, Florida 34232. Arrangements have been made through Toale Brothers Funeral Homes and Crematory.

Tributes

Roy E. Dean

September 22, 1931 - August 14, 2016